Breach

A Cold War Magic Novel, Book 1

By: W.L. Goodwater

Narrated by: January LaVoy

The first novel in a new Cold War fantasy series, where the Berlin Wall is made entirely of magic. When a breach unexpectedly appears in the wall, spies from both sides swarm to the city as World War III threatens to spark.

After the war, the wall brought an uneasy peace.

When Soviet magicians conjured an arcane wall to blockade occupied Berlin, the world was outraged but let it stand for the sake of peace. Now, after 10 years of fighting with spies instead of spells, the CIA has discovered the unthinkable....

The wall is failing.

While refugees and soldiers mass along the border, operatives from East and West converge on the most dangerous city in the world to either stop the crisis or take advantage of it.

Karen, a young magician with the American Office of Magical Research and Deployment, is sent to investigate the breach in the Wall and determine if it can be fixed. Instead, she discovers the truth is elusive in this divided city - and that even magic itself has its own agenda.

The truth of the wall is about to be revealed.

©2018 Walter Goodwater (P)2018 Penguin Audio

For an even more nervewracking Cold War, add magic

This was a great alternate history fantasy thriller. The story was well-paced, the dialogue and inner monologues were nuanced with emotional depth taking what could have been cliche and making it work. Enjoyed the unique take on recognizable story concepts that wasn't too predictable.

My only real complaint is the minimalist approach to describing most of the magical battles. Made them feel glossed over sometimes - and yet I still have to say it was nicely done glossing-over.

I would LOVE to watch this story as an anime.

And January is a great narrator, particularly appreciated how she conveyed Jim's mental state in the latter half.

Fantastic Characterization

Characters with real and reasonable reactions. A wonderful espionage novel with just the right amount of "Fantastic" unreality.

The second book doesn't have an audio version, so I'll read it, but I wish it had the "audible" treatment!

Cold War Revisited

Interesting marriage of magic and history, where the Berlin Wall was put in place by Magic. I did feel all too much the historical truth of how the female was treated by men at the time, having experienced all too much of that myself. But she gets her revenge in the end.

Magic Alt-History at its Best

I'm not usually a fan of alternative history books, but this one caught my eye. I'm glad I took a chance. the characters were great, and the magic system's quirks were believable and thought out. Especially concerning its pros/cons with standard technology. The story itself was engaging, and the narrator really brought the whole thing to life. if you're interested in the Cold War Era, or magic, or both, this book is for you.

Top notch writing - excellent urban fantasy

The narration and writing are excellent. The story is layered and the characters are dimensional and not typical flat stereotypes. The story has depth and interesting observations. Research has been done and it shows. While there is a woman main character, thankfully this is not a romance. This book could easily fit into the thriller genre too. I hope the second book will also be available via audio book format.

Fantastic Story!

I don’t spend enough time reviewing books, but this one is worth it. A whole lot of fun and a great magical ride through history. A perfect summer read or road trip companion. Add it to your collection!

Good Fantasy

Two for one credit, and l only purchased because the great narrator January, LaVoy read this book!! As always Ms LaVoy brings this book home.There was some humor that started this book, and I loved it. And frankly, this seems like John Le Carre Tinker tailor speed. The book lacks the adjectives that make your heart race as you listen. I loved the Dennis snarky character. You must love Fantasy to appreciate this author.
Were my comments of help?

Volume

Overall I would say this title is a 4 for me. The story is okay, not the greatest but not the worst either. One thing that really annoyed me was the varying volume, one moment the reader almost whispered and then all of a sudden she got very loud. I wished that could have been adjusted in editing.